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Benny Gantz

Left to right: Former minister Gilad Erdan and MK Yuli Edelstein in Tel Aviv, August 6, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90); Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel in Jerusalem, July 14, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper in Jerusalem, August 5, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 30, 2026, 8:17 pm
With only days left to submit slates, small parties are still jockeying for position
Despite polling under the electoral threshold, newly established right-wing factions seen as unlikely to agree on any sort of joint run until right before September 8 deadline
By Sam Sokol
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the Negev Conference in the southern city of Dimona, southern Israel, July 17, 2026. (Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
August 27, 2026, 4:06 pm
With debutant Winter poised to cannibalize his bloc, Netanyahu has reason to sweat
New People of Israel party seen as most likely to draw votes away from PM’s coalition allies, as well as his own Likud, with rivals and other small right-wing factions already siphoning away support
By Sam Sokol
Left to right: Former minister Gilad Erdan and MK Yuli Edelstein in Tel Aviv, August 6, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90); Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel in Jerusalem, July 14, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); Yoaz Hendel and Chili Tropper in Jerusalem, August 5, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
August 11, 2026, 9:33 pm
Meet the ‘Third Bloc’ of right-wing parties pushing for a ‘Zionist unity government’
Leaders of new crop of center-right factions believe they can replace the Haredim as kingmakers and broker peace between the competing blocs; the polls, for now, say otherwise
By Sam Sokol
Left to right: Defense Minister Israel Katz, July 15, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90); IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, February 20, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90); IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, July 12, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
August 3, 2026, 12:38 pm
Katz tries to walk back on-air removal of top general, as opposition, allies call to oust Katz
Lawmakers, former generals, settlement leaders decry defense minister’s live TV replacement of Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth; IDF said freezing senior appointments until elections
By Emanuel Fabian, Jeremy Sharon, Sam Sokol and ToI Staff
Left: Likud MK Yuli Edelstein attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, December 9, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90); right: Former Likud MK Gilad Erdan takes part in a ceremony for a bulletproof ambulance donated by the Harvest Christian Fellowship to Magen David Adom, at the Tower of David, in the Old City of Jerusalem, June 1, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
July 30, 2026, 10:51 pm
Rumored ‘Likud B’ party led by Erdan and Edelstein picks up 5 seats in new ToI poll
Potential alliance of Likud defectors would blow new Gantz-Simhi and Hendel-Tropper outfits out of the water, but fail to resolve electoral deadlock, Zman Yisrael survey shows
By ToI Staff
Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot speaks at the launch of his party's election campaign in Hod Hasharon, June 30, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
July 6, 2026, 12:58 pm
Gruff and unpolished, Gadi Eisenkot is becoming the face of the anti-Netanyahu movement
The plainspoken ex-IDF head embodies a shift from the PM’s slick style, which has come to define Israeli politics. But after surging in the polls, he now faces a brutal campaign as Netanyahu’s chief foe
By Ben Sales
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, attends a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting alongside Likud MK Yuli Edelstein at the Knesset on June 13, 2023. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)
July 5, 2026, 5:14 pm
Joining legion of Likud castoffs, Edelstein may not yet be clear of Netanyahu’s pull
Splitting from the party that already quit him, the former Knesset speaker becomes the latest senior Likud politician to strike out on his own, though breaking free may not be so simple
By Tal Schneider
(L-R) Yoaz Hendel in Petah Tikva, May 10, 2026 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90) Blue and White chief MK Benny Gantz at the Knesset on June 29, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) and Dedy Simhi in Jerusalem, July 5, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 )
July 5, 2026, 3:18 pm
Hendel said not expected to run with Gantz and Simhi amid Haredi coalition dispute
Reservists leader vows to boycott Haredi parties, but Gantz and newcomer Simhi haven’t ruled out sitting with them; meetings among the potential allies ongoing while party chair Hendel on active IDF duty
By Ariela Karmel
Gadi Eisenkot (right) greets supporters at the launch of his Yashar party’s election campaign, in Hod Hasharon, central Israel, June 30, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
July 1, 2026, 3:40 pm
Gadi Eisenkot launches a centrist campaign tailored for the commuters of Route 4
Running under the heavy shadow of wartime grief, the former IDF chief aims to capture Israel’s middle class while keeping a fractured opposition bloc from collapsing
By Tal Schneider
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu interviewed on the Channel 14 program "The Patriots" on June 30, 2026. (Screen capture)
July 1, 2026, 3:31 am
Netanyahu: The pursuit of ‘total victory’ against Iran and its proxies ‘never ends’
In first Hebrew media interview of election campaign, PM says full unity not possible but that he seeks to form broad gov’t after election that will include far-right, Haredi parties and continue judicial overhaul
By Nava Freiberg and ToI Staff
Dedy Simhi speaks at a conference at Reichman University, Herzliya, January 22, 2026. (Tal Gal/Flash90)
June 28, 2026, 12:48 pm
Dedy Simhi says his emerging alliance with Gantz would sit with anyone but Arab parties
TV pundit, a former rescue chief whose son died fighting on Oct. 7, says party would join a single bloc’s government only if ‘proper and honorable’ unity offer is made and rejected
By ToI Staff
Yoaz Hendel (L) and Benny Gantz (R) at the Knesset on May 13, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)
June 25, 2026, 4:54 pm
Potential Gantz-Hendel-Simhi alliance faces hurdles despite merger reports
Sources say talks between Blue and White, Reservists, Dedy Simhi ongoing but gaps remain over position on Haredi parties; Reservists exploring other options, seeks to be ‘kingmaker’
By Ariela Karmel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White chief Benny Gantz greet each other at a special plenum session presenting the new emergency government at the assembly hall of the Knesset in Jerusalem on October 12, 2023. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)
June 22, 2026, 5:20 pm
Netanyahu is using a desperate Benny Gantz to do his political dirty work
Whether Gantz crosses the election threshold or not, his frantic campaigning and attacks on former political allies are serving the prime minister’s agenda perfectly
By Shalom Yerushalmi
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid addresses his Yesh Atid party's weekly faction meeting in the Knesset, May 25, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
May 25, 2026, 6:22 pm
Lapid takes aim at ‘disaster’ US-Iran deal, says Netanyahu failed to achieve victory
Opposition leader says it’s ‘absurd’ negotiations to end conflict did not include Israel, which must ‘maintain freedom of action’ regardless of agreement
By Sam Sokol
Screen capture from video of a right-wing protest outside the home of IDF Chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, May 24, 2026. (Social media, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
May 24, 2026, 8:50 am
Right-wing activists protest outside IDF chief’s house, call him ‘traitor’
Demonstrators angry at jailing of soldier who wore a controversial, unauthorized ‘Messiah’ patch on combat uniform; opposition figures blame government
By ToI Staff
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